Author Archives: Jennifer Rohn

About Jennifer Rohn

Scientist, novelist, rock chick

In which we pause

Posted on 27 December 2025 by Jennifer Rohn

Silent night. Well, not really night anymore, as I first opened this page at 4 AM. Out the window brittle stars burn, though the faintest of glows already encroaches. That limbo before morning, when the house is utterly silent, the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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In which I thank my stars for country living

Posted on 4 October 2025 by Jennifer Rohn

When I first moved to London in 1997, I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Long hours in the lab would spill into the evening streets and underground tunnels of a city so large that you could never experience it all. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in academia, Domestic bliss, Gardening, Nostalgia, The ageing process, work-life balance | Comments Off on In which I thank my stars for country living

In which I make contact

Posted on 20 July 2025 by Jennifer Rohn

Back in the late Nineties, I was interning at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. During the working week, I threw myself into the lab with all the evangelical fervour of a pilgrim who had finally reached her … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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In which I lurk on the edges of the playground

Posted on 5 May 2025 by Jennifer Rohn

I’ve just finished Richard Powers’ latest novel, Playground. This is not a book review (although I can highly recommend it), but more of a reflection on its aftertaste. Cryptic spoilers below. I’d consider the book ‘lab lit lite’ – there … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in careers, Domestic bliss, Gardening, Joshua, Lablit, staring into the abyss, The ageing process, The profession of science | Comments Off on In which I lurk on the edges of the playground

In which I mark a milestone

Posted on 22 April 2025 by Jennifer Rohn

I have been putting off writing about a special twenty-year anniversary. But first, apologies are in order. Yet again, I find that another season has passed without me writing here. This was never meant to be a quarterly affair, but … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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In which I languish in limbo

Posted on 22 December 2024 by Jennifer Rohn

You could write an entire PhD thesis about how difficult it is for academics to relax on holiday. (And whoever’s writing it would be lying on the sofa by the Christmas tree right now, fretting about how they really ought … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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In which I slowly kill what I love

Posted on 15 September 2024 by Jennifer Rohn

I sometimes feel like I am living in the last gasp of the “having your cake and eating it too” era. The planet is approaching a climatic tipping point – if not past it already. Widespread war is sparking ever … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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In which I dream of escape

Posted on 14 July 2024 by Jennifer Rohn

Sometimes everything just seems too much. As the non-existent summer rolls on – 14C mornings of rain or overcast, wool sweaters taken back out from storage – I find my stress level to be the only thing heating up. As … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in careers, Gardening, Research, Science Funding, staring into the abyss, The profession of science, work-life balance | Comments Off on In which I dream of escape

In which I make the best of things

Posted on 6 May 2024 by Jennifer Rohn

Greetings from the tail end of a typical British bank holiday, where the big highlight was gardening in the rain. In all seriousness, it was rather lovely to be out tidying up the flower beds in the fresh air, among … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in academia, careers, Domestic bliss, Gardening, Research, staring into the abyss, The profession of science, work-life balance | 1 Comment

In which I dream

Posted on 17 March 2024 by Jennifer Rohn

Last night I dreamt I was pipetting. It was a beautiful Gilson p200, the classic model of my formative years. The precision instrument felt reassuringly heavy and solid in my right hand. Despite its age, the movements were smooth and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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